Hola All,

I'm planning a long distance walk in Australia, starting in late April/Early May.

I want to walk for about 4-6 weeks, one way. I'll be mostly camping, but will occasionally stop for a bed. Right now I'm trying to decide which direction/route should I take? North from Sydney towards Queensland? South, to Melbourne? Or West? Or start on the west coast? Or somewhere in the red center?

ANY advice or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

Rick

I'm inclined to say south, along the coast. It'll be cooler, but the road is closer to the ocean, the country is more visually attractive, you pass by or through plenty of national parks where you can camp (Victoria's National Parks also have a website) and plenty of pleasant small towns.
Perhaps a good starting point would be The Royal National Park on Sydney's outskirts, taking the coastal walk south.

I am going contradict Groo here!!

I say go north or west!

Walk north from Sydney up to the Northern New South Wales coast and away from winter. I am a child of the tropics so my feelings about being cold are probably more heightened than others'.

OR...

Walk west and into the sunsets over the deserts. Although you would have to walk a fair way to get to desert, but still, it is so SPACIOUS! Plus if getting away from the tourist trail is your ideal then just head inland. The tourist trail basidally goes along the East coast and a few tourist keep following the coast all the way around. The will drop into Alice Springs to go and stand on that big rock, then get out again as soon as possible. All the points in between are virtually tourist-free.

I hope I have given you something to think about anyway.

Happy walking.

And I'll suggest something completely different:

Screw hiking in the overpopulated East and come over West to hike the Bibbulmun Track.

So there you've got it. Three posts and it's been suggested that you walk three ways, north, south and west.
We are all probably agreed, however, that walking east would be a bad move.
Let us know what you decide.

Indeed. Thanks to all for your suggestions!

My inclination is to go where the weather will be best, and where I can stay the most dry, so I'm leaning towards going West, then North.

Though, I am a scuba diver, so going east might work as well.

Rick,

Go south becuse its down hill. LOL

Seriously I would go north because its warmer.

Just so you know because there is a lot of space here we don't get a lot of people walking from town to town but plenty bush walking through national parks and such.

The national Parks between Melbourne and Sydney are dead gorgeous, but you are coming in the winter and they don't call the area the "snowfields" for nothing. Head north or West. Thought about the Bungle Bungles or Kimberley? It's the Dry at that time.

Ooops. For some reason I thought you were coming in June/July, not 2 months earlier. Still think north is better, but you can cancel the snow comment. Although with the weather we're having now, you never know....

Definitely have to agree with elAdi as regards the Bibbulmun Track. It offers a diverse range of terrain and challenges. Being a Perthite and sandgroper, I consider this track to be one of the best in Oz. Yeah, I'm bias!

Indonesialogue

Another vote for the Bibbulmun Track, in fact that was my first thought. It's about 970 kms all up and goes from Kalamunda which is just outside of Perth to Albany which is in the south-west and it goes through some of the most beautiful countryside.
From memory there's seven or eight country towns where you can buy supplies and the track has triangular Waugal markers with a black serpent on them. And I remember if you've been walking for more the a km then you've gone off the track.

Btw, Waugal means soul or spirit is the name of the Rainbow Serpent and in Aboriginal mythology Waugal created nature, the rivers and valleys, the hills and is very powerful.

To walk the entire track averaging between 15 and 20 kms takes around eight weeks.

Happy walking.


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Friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.
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Just noticed in my post above, what I meant to say was,
And I remembe if you've been walking for more than a km without seeing any markers, then you've gone off the track.


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Friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.
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Go down to Tasmania and do the Southwest Wilderness, and so many others

Tasmania has many fine walks, and the south/west is truly great, BUT - given the Op's time frame and his departure point, plus time of year - it gets quite a bit colder down in Tassie- especially in the south west - I'd say what has previously been suggested would be a better prospect.
Cheers.

______________________________________________________________
Friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.
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